DIY fatigue

[Zebra]

Can anyone offer any tips for dealing with DIY fatigue? There is still so much to do, but I seem to have slowed right down, so that even fixing one piece of 4x2 for a door frame, well I can't seem to be bothered. It's been four years since this house took over my life, and the worst is definately over. There are no major structural problems any more. No major damp issues. It's secure, warm, dry, and as far as the house's wellbeing is concerned, I can take as long as I like.
But it's still very far from finished, and somehow I just can't seem to face it any more. Any advice out there?
x

 

[kreyszig]

put it aside completely for a set period of time would be my advice.
I've not had specific experience of DIY fatigue but that approach seems to work for other varieties.

 

[skier-hughes]

I agree with the taking a break, then make a list with jobs needing doing and setting timescales to get them done in.

Now if you want to invite us all round for Xmas, or a New Years Party, you then have a goal to aim for!!

I was never so driven, busy and successful as when I had the film crew round each week!!

 

[Flyfisher]

. . . and somehow I just can't seem to face it any more. Any advice out there?

When you find some, please let me know.

I recognise the symptoms though I wouldn't classify it as 'fatigue' as such. Our project is seven years in and it sounds like we're at a similar stage; all the major structural works has been finished and it's now mainly decoration that's required. Now, I've never found decorating much fun (in our last house, we finally decorated one bedroom just months before putting it on the market - after living there 20 years :lol: ) so it was always going to be an uphill battle, but in our case I think we've become too accustomed to living in a building site.

We're not exactly slumming it as our bedroom is comfortable, we now have ample hot water and a fully functional bathroom, the new kitchen is now finished and, for the first time in seven years, we have proper heating, but move outside of those comfortable rooms and there is still so much to do. I am chipping away at it and it's not that I don't want to finish things, but it's no longer taking all my time, as it was when doing stuff like fixing the roof. There is life beyond property renovation!

My current focus is to finish two more bedrooms before Christmas as we have a lot of people staying for Christmas & New Year, which is probably just as well otherwise I'm sure they would drag on into the new year.

In short, I don't think it's reasonable to put your whole life on hold just to work every hour of every day on building and decorating - which is why we're moving into our 8th project year - but everyone is different, of course, as are their circumstances.

Which is really just a long winded way of seconding kreyszig's advice above: take a break. Preferably, one away from home if you can.

Chin up!

 

[Feltwell]

Crikey, where to start?

Firstly, from what I've experienced and what I've seen of others, "DIY fatigue" isn't just not unusual, it's almost inevitable at some point during a large project. Secondly, my experience is that getting a job 90% complete happens just fine, it's the final 10% that is the killer.

Hence why this week I planned to make a cupboard door for my daughter's bedroom, the final task on a job that was 99% finished 4 years ago!

Hence why at *some* point I will post an update up on the thread below to say the garage is finished. You will note that the thread started in 2008, and in 2010 it looks almost finished. It still looks *almost* finished, hence why I've not posted an update.

http://periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9699&hilit=victorian+double+garage

Taking a break and doing something else for a bit is, I feel, sound advice. I said "sod it" a few months ago and splashed out on a motorhome, so I could go away much more easily for short breaks with the family, because I realised that I was spending so much time on work & house that I was missing out on seeing the kids grow up. If we stay at home I end up doing things on the house. Not the wisest decision in hindsight as I've just found out that I'm being made redundant in a restructure at work, but so long as I get myself sorted with another job in the next few months I still won't regret it.

 

[plasticpigeon]

A break and retail therapy to spend all that money you've saved by doing it yourself.

 

[Flyfisher]

Secondly, my experience is that getting a job 90% complete happens just fine, it's the final 10% that is the killer.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Yes, I forgot about that one. So, so true!

 

[Spoilt Victorian Child]

I can take as long as I like....

For me I know that's what would totally do me in. Without a deadline I'm hopeless.

My mate managed to renovate an entire house (from literally a shell) in 6 months when she found out she was pregnant. I couldn't believe she did it, but she had a deadline!

I'd give yourself a break, not even think about it for a few weeks (or however long), and then decide an event you can work towards having it finished by. Eg a birthday, or anniversary - something that might involve a party so you can 'show off' your hard work at the end.

 

[Feltwell]

To quote the late, great Douglas Adams, who was notorious at never hitting a deadine:-

I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.

 

[plasticpigeon]

I imagine your mate wasn't there trowel in hand doing it all herself in 6 months!

 

[CliffordPope]

i agree about taking a break.
Go away for a long weekend and concentrate on doing things you like that are local wherever you are staying.
Get right away, concentrate on going out and doing things, even if it's only meals and nice tea rooms.
Don't think about home.
Don't keep in touch.
Don't take a phone.

Then when you get back, BUT NOT BEFORE, make a list of everything that needs to be done and do one of them and then cross it off the list.
It doesn't matter which one - crossing anything off is progress - and progress encourages you to do another and so on.

 

[Flyfisher]

If I could be bothered to make a list, the length of it would probably put me off even more.

Keep calm and carry on.

 

[Feltwell]

If I could be bothered to make a list, the length of it would probably put me off even more.

Keep calm and carry on.

I couldn't agree more. However, Mrs F is the undisputed "Queen of Lists" - she loves them, I did once catch her preparing a list of lists, so she could keep a track of them. Fortunately, she is also very understanding of her husband and doesn't impose her lists on me! Phew!

 

[plasticpigeon]

I find list useful, but timing plans are just demoralising.

 

[jackpoint]

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[wobs]

Taking a break and doing something else for a bit is, I feel, sound advice. I said "sod it" a few months ago and splashed out on a motorhome, so I could go away much more easily for short breaks with the family, because I realised that I was spending so much time on work & house that I was missing out on seeing the kids grow up. If we stay at home I end up doing things on the house. Not the wisest decision in hindsight as I've just found out that I'm being made redundant in a restructure at work, but so long as I get myself sorted with another job in the next few months I still won't regret it.

I recognise much of this for our situation (although not the redundancy so far!). I've often got into the habit of trying to fit DIY tasks into a weekend between childcare, but there are weekends where Mrs Wobs sees far more of them than me.

When I was doing the bedroom for our youngest, there was real pressure to get it done, and so there were many weeks of hard work and stress of balancing family with DIY. Now things are less set to deadlines, we can plan when we do jobs. We often spend Friday night or Saturday morning planning what jobs we should get done, and work out the best balance we can for family time.

The past few weeks have seen me demolish an asbestos garage, but now its gone we have builders in to do the actual building work for the new garage. There's still jobs I need to do relating to this project, but its not so full on ATM.

Taking a break is risky for me, as its easy to slip into a routine where DIY gets forgotten. Starting again can be very difficult once the momemtum stops.

I do hope to go camping next summer for long weekends (no motorhome for us, just a tent).

Taking on too much DIY can really put a strain on a relationship, so you have to find that balance and pace yourself, and set realistic goals each week.

 

[CliffordPope]

The merit of having a list is the satisfaction one gets from crossing things off.

Sometimes if I do something that wasn't on my list I fel a bit peeved because I have needlessly forgone a simple pleasure.
But I don't usually write it on the list just to cross it off again, unless the list is actually my serious record of work done.

 

[skier-hughes]

I like a list as I like crossing things off it, JO likes putting dates on it by which time I am expected to have crossed it off......................

 

[Keithj]

I have a "motivational consultant".

First, a list of jobs is made.
Then I am invited to prioritise them.
Then I am reminded which is next on the list.
After a period of "not doing it", I am asked "Will you do that, or shall I get a real man in?"

 

[noj]

Serial little lists could help - pick a number things that are easily achievable in a day (or weekend/finite timescale) and then complete the whole list. Gives a sense of achievement greater than just ticking off a few items on the unending list...

And cherry pick jobs for a while too - give priority to things that'll make the biggest cosmetic difference for the least effort